


Unfinished Business

by krisherdown



Series: The Unholy trilogy [6]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-12
Updated: 2009-12-12
Packaged: 2017-11-28 10:52:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/673584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Marat lost his final match, there may have been a nagging bit of unfinished business.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> This story could fit with the Unholy Trilogy (begins with [Not the Lonely One](http://krisherdown.livejournal.com/10728.html) \- five short stories in all) but you don't have to read any of that. Just a little something that needed to be written after 2009 WTF (title won by Nikolay).

When you were beaten by del Potro in your final match, you had this feeling there was unfinished business. As far as _you_ were concerned, your career had everything you could have ever wished for.

It's just that... while you did reach the peak of the sport - depending on who you ask, that comes by either winning Grand Slams or being the #1 player in the world, you watch as he deals with beating the best. He may be respected among the true tennis fans but he's hasn't quite been able to relate to _being_ the best. Even though he's spent years ranked inside the top 5, the people from your country see the contingent as yourself and then everyone else. He's the one who is the hardest worker week after week, not yourself even when you were number one.

You recall Andy relaying jokes heard from old Tonight Show episodes which boiled down to two words: no respect. The jokes themselves were typical of Andy but you got the general point. It sums up your countryman simply. Even when he made the WTF final last year, it seemed to be written off as luck of the draw.

Not so this year. Beating both Nadal and Federer will get a person attention. One wouldn't know from his reaction after that second win how Federer had little trouble with him the previous dozen times. That he was thrilled to finally end that particular losing streak. You just know from the phone call later on that it had been a very good day and there was still one match to go before any celebrating would occur.

It was an oddly determined way that he said that. It wasn't until you caught the rerun of the other match that you understood why. del Potro, of all people, would be the opponent. Although he didn’t say so in the phone call, you suspected he found the particular match-up significant for a few different reasons.

So when he won the title, rather easily no less, you had never seen him happier on the court. The world finally got a chance to see the person only a few, including yourself, had known for years.

That he wasn't unemotional, by any means.

That he loved to spoil his wife rotten.

That he now had a chance to be the most famous Russian player on the tour.

Though you were equally thrilled when he called you later that night, insisting that there were other ways to celebrate and you'd find out the details in due time.

Sneaky bastard. He knew he could draw you back to the tennis world.


End file.
